The USA has 302.35 million social media users as of 2023. That means 90% of the total US population uses social media actively.
81% of people between the ages of 30-49 are active users.
73% of people between the ages of 50-64 are active users.
45% of people over the age of 65 are active users.
Our point is simple – In 2023, social media is increasingly becoming an intrinsic part of daily life, with members of every generation consuming some form of online content. As a result, content marketing is one of the most powerful tools senior living and healthcare organizations can harness.
What is Content Marketing?
Content marketing involves creating and sharing original content valuable to a target audience. This content may include resources like blog posts, infographics, podcasts, or books. Social media is a free tool many senior living facilities use to share their content. Still, the best strategies involve much more than simply posting on social media sporadically whenever inspiration hits. A winning content strategy takes careful planning, creativity, organization, collaboration, and time.
What is a Content Calendar?
A content calendar is a tool that helps businesses maintain an organized content strategy. Your calendar will allow your team to view content plans clearly from one user-friendly platform, visualizing precisely what will be posted, where, and when. With the ability to set and track deadlines, create actionable to-dos, track vital metrics, and brainstorm collaboratively, you can save time, share ideas, and streamline your content strategy.
What are the Benefits of Using a Content Calendar?
- Organize Multiple Platforms. Most organizations run and share content on multiple social media platforms. As a senior living or healthcare brand, you likely have many responsibilities, with your top priority always being resident or patient care. Particularly for smaller communities where staff members take on multiple roles, there may need to be more time to focus on content marketing. With plans carefully laid out for each platform, you can ensure everything is created, edited, reviewed, and ready to go when it’s time to post. A content calendar will allow you to plan when you have time to spare.
For example, take a look at this.
- Boost Consistency and Accountability. While having multiple social media platforms can be an excellent way to expand your organization’s reach, consistency is even more vital. Social media accounts must be active and consistently provide valuable content to stay at the front and center of a customer’s mind. One of the most common content and social media marketing mistakes is sporadic posting that varies in quality and follows no central theme. You may find yourself frequently posting when you have time, then going weeks or months without posting anything. A content calendar can hold you accountable for keeping your channels focused and regularly updated.
Take a look at how the franchise fast food restaurant Wendy’s posts consistently and engages its audience.
- Provide Useful Visuals. It can be helpful to have a clear picture of the content you plan to post and when you post it. Not only will this help you ensure that planned content is evenly and consistently spaced, but it will also allow you to visualize what your social feeds will look like. Content calendars can typically be re-arranged with an easy drag and drop, so you can keep your platforms looking streamlined, consistent, and professional even if plans change. These visuals will also help you avoid posting duplicate content, keeping your channels fresh and varied and engaging your audience.
Here’s another example of a content calendar that keeps your posts visible.
- Spark Collaboration and Creativity. A content calendar can offer much more than a place to plan content; it can also be a great space to spark creativity and encourage brainstorming. Ideas jotted down in a personal notebook or laptop might never reappear in the light of day. Conversely, by encouraging your team to brainstorm ideas in the shared space, you can bounce off one another to produce significant new content ideas.
- Track Metrics. The best content strategies are constantly evolving and improving based on accurate data. Some content calendars will allow you to conveniently measure the performance of your campaigns. With these metrics, you will be better able to evaluate things like which content engages your audience most and when the best times are for posting. Equally as important, metrics can also help you identify what isn’t working. These valuable insights can guide your current and future content marketing efforts.
- Improve Communication. A great content calendar can be a central hub for sales and marketing teams to discuss ideas, plan posts, and collaborate. A content calendar can assign tasks to team members, track progress and submit content for review. With this ease of communication, you can ensure everyone is on the same page and consistently working towards your overall goals.
- Plan Content Strategically. When companies post spontaneously, content can present as incohesive and unreliable. Having a content calendar will allow you to plan your monthly content carefully. Visualizing the month ahead will help you work around holidays and notable dates to create a schedule that flows, stays relevant, and remains in keeping with your brand values. The best content marketing and social media campaigns tell a story, with each post working independently and as part of a bigger picture.
How We Support Senior Living Facilities with Content Marketing
With a functioning content calendar that works for your business, you can boost your engagement and social media performance by improving consistency, branding, creativity, and organization. SMCG’s® social media marketing and management experts will support you in understanding your audience, creating tangible goals, and setting up a content calendar that helps you execute these goals precisely. Inquire today to learn how our expert marketing and sales coaching services will help your organization thrive.